Celebrity – the whole countries obsessed by who’s doing what to who,
where and when and how they got away it.  But what if you’re sat
round your pint on a Friday night with your mates and have no idea why
Kerry McFadden shagging Dan Corsi is a big deal because you didn’t
realise Brain McFadden and her had split up and have absolutely no idea
what an atomic kitten has got to do with life in the West counties-
Confused? You obviously don’t know your Heat mag from your heating
bill. Read on, be educated, and maybe you to can slip in a bit of celeb
knowledge at the pub this week. 

Jamie Oliver, born 1975, Age 29
The cheeky cockney chappy had everyone thinking they could whip up the
perfect breakfast with whatever they had in their cupboard.

If you’ve never seen his show ‘The Naked Chef’ (though not actually
naked), then you may have seen him in his million pound add deal
running round Sainsbury’s persuading us all that if we shop there we
too can be star chefs and have all our mates around for tea.

He has two girls with model wife Jools, originally named in the style
of all those celebs that live in million pound houses in London – Poppy
and Daisy.   In between his advertising deals for London’s
favorite local shop and top selling recipe books, he found time to take
a bunch of no hopers from London and turn them into top chefs for the
reality TV show and restaurant ‘Fifteen’ and now he’s off to do it all
again in the USA.  Your typically nice Essex boy next door.

Sadie Frost, born 1967, Age 37
Most famous for being Jude Law’s other half and the mother of his
children, Sadie Frost has now split from the sexy actor and launched a
clothing line ‘FrostFrench’ reinventing herself as a business woman.
She’s recently had her own TV show ‘What Sadie did next’ which was
purely about her life as a socialite and her celebrity friends- oh, and
a show she produced herself- so a producer as well as a part
actress.  A lady with many talents, none of which really justify
her celebrity status, but when you’re a beautiful party girl/actress,
nothing will keep you out of the limelight (and the tabloids).

The camera loves her.

Graham Norton, born 1965 Age 39
This cheeky camp Irishman’s first memorable performance was as Father
Noel in the loveable comedy Father Ted. (Look it up, it’s a UK
classic.)  Since then he has become the Queen of camp and chat
show host extraordinaire with the well loved show ‘So Graham
Norton’.  As everybody’s fantasy dinner date and wannabe friend,
he screams innuendo and gets away with it every time due to his Irish
charm.  From Channel 4’s prime time slot he’s now moved to the BBC
to host a new show for 2005 Strictly Dance Fever.

Watch this space (and the magazine columns, his love life and
outrageous fashion sense are fast becoming the content celeb gossip).

Katie Price aka Jordon, born 1978, Age 26
Recently engaged to her jungle love/ex ‘popstar’ (and I use the words
lightly) Peter Andre, the super ego Jordon, is a UK lads mag
fave.  Famed for her huge assets, and we’re not talking about her
bank balance, Jordan is Katie’s altar ego.  A good time party girl
who has recently tried to show her true side as ‘Katie Price’ when she
joined a bunch of C list celebs in the last series of  the ITV hit
reality show I’m a Celebrity get me out of here.’

If you can find a lads mag that she’s not in keep it- it’s a rarity.

Jamie Theakston, born 1970, Age 34
The ex children’s presenter got caught in a stiff situation with some
hookers a few years ago and since then has gone from strength to
strength. (How to boost your career inTV!) Moving into acting with
various roles from the West end to the BBC’s dramas Mad about Alice, he
is now back presenting the prime time BBC 2 show Beg, Borrow or Steal
and recently presented Channel 4’s Music hall of Fame.

Look for him stepping out with supermodel girlfriend Erin O’Conner at various high fashion dos’.

Peter Kay, born 1973 Age 31
The loveable northern rouge has hardly sent pulses racing but has made
many, many of us laugh our arses off. His stand up comedy is renowned
and he’s become a real UK fave.  His brash northern humour may not
be everyone’s style and taste, but if you see his shows or videos
without even emitting a chuckle then you need to get yourself a sense
of humour.
If you hear he’s coming to town get yourself tickets quickly to see
what the fuss is about, otherwise catch him starring in Max and Paddy’s
Road to nowhere, Channel 4, Friday’s 9.30
I defy you not to laugh out loud.

Cilla Black, born 1943 Age 61
Born Priscilla Maria Veronica White, the Liverpuddlian TV queen had her
career brake back in the 60’s with a song given to her by John Lennon
and Paul McCartney ‘Love of the Loved’.  Best known for her
singing in the 60’s and then moving into TV presenting, Cilla became
the dating queen of the screen in the 80’s and 90’s presenting the hit
show Blind Date.  Although her matches often ended in disaster,
Cilla gave the UK years of addictive and often cringeworthy viewing,
matching many a happy couple along the way. 

Bruce Forsthye, born 1928 Age 76
A legendry TV entertainer, Brucey has been around for generations
cheering up many a family living room on a Saturday night. He made his
TV debut as a child in 1939 and became an all singing, all dancing
entertainer. His cheesy presenting talents and catch phrases have seen
him through a hoist of equally cheesy but well loved shows such as Play
your Cards Right and The Generation Game, all fully equipped with a
leggy beauty who you dad probably wants a bit of. The all round
entertainer sang and danced his way in to the hearts of the British
public and is one of those good old British idols that will always be
remembered.
 
His dancing days recently returned as he presented Strictly Come dancing on the BBC.

Trinny and Susanna
Loved or hated by women all over the UK, these two have ripped apart
many a women’s taste and dignity in they’re BBC show ‘What not to
wear’.  Women at some mid life/fashion crisis are spied on by the
two, before they are homed in on, the contents of their wardrobes
destroyed, and given £2000 to go shopping.  Not bad you may think,
but Trinny and Susanna have reduced grown women to tears in Debanhams
changing rooms and literally pulled about they’re underwear- even
removing it for them on camera for the benefit of no VPL!

You either love them or hate them, but they have become a major part of
TV viewing for anyone who’s not quite sure what to be wearing and
should be observed at least once. You might even learn something.

Barbara Windsor,  Born 1937, Age 67
The cockney Londoner first came onto British screens in the 60’s and
70’s and soon became a household name due to her saucy (but innocent)
roles in the Carry On films.  Now a classic series of movies, the
popularity of Carry On threw our little Babs into the spotlight and she
hasn’t stopped since.  Currently residing in Eastenders as
everyone’s favourite landlady of the Queen Vic, Babs has adorned our
screens in several programmes over the years including a part in the
classic children’s film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.